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7.3.8 Purpose

The Home Purchase Assistance Scheme (HPAS) assists members with the cost of purchasing a home in their current or next housing benefit location or family benefit location. 

7.3.10 Conditions of eligibility

  1. A member is eligible for HPAS if all of the following are met.

    1. The home is in the member’s current or next housing benefit location or family benefit location.

    2. An eligible person will live in the home within the period specified in section 7.3.13.

      Note: Section 7.3.2 provides that to be eligible to benefits under Chapter 7 Part 3 the member must be on continuous full-time service, and the location where they have purchased the home will continue to be their housing benefit location or family benefit location for at least 12 months.

  2. If the member’s partner is also a member, only one member is eligible for HPAS.

  3. Despite subsection 2, the other member may be eligible for HPAS in a future housing benefit location or family benefit location.

7.3.11 Member the Division does not apply to

This Division does not apply to a member who meets any of the following. 

  1. They have received one of the following.

    1. HPAS on or after 1 July 2000. 

    2. HPSEA for a first home on or before 30 June 2000. 

  2. They are on any of the following.

    1. A transition location (general) agreement.

    2. A transition location (medical) agreement.

7.3.12 Purchase of land

This Division does not apply to the purchase of land that does not have a home on it.

7.3.13 When the home must be occupied

  1. If a situation in an item in Column A of the following table applies — a home must be occupied by an eligible person within the specified time period in Column B of the same item.

  2. The member is eligible to have the time for occupation specified in Column B of the table in subsection 1 extended for up to 24 months if all of the following apply.
    1. An eligible person cannot occupy the home for a reason beyond their control.
    2. The CDF is satisfied that it is reasonable to extend the time.

      Note:   If the period is extended the decision maker must specify the duration of the extension.

7.3.14 Amount of benefit

  1. The amount of the benefit is a one-off payment of $16,949 (before tax).

    Note: This amount will be included in the member's taxable income. Tax will be deducted at the time of payment. The payment is not reportable for fringe benefit tax purposes.

  2. If an eligible person shares ownership with other persons, the HPAS payment is made according to the share of ownership with those other persons.
  3. For the purpose of subsection 2, the member and their resident family have one share of the home.
Guidance

Example 1: A member purchases with one other person. The HPAS payment will reflect the share of ownership. For example, equal shares would result in payment of 50% of the HPAS amount.

Example 2: A member, their spouse and the member's non-dependent father jointly purchase a home. The member and spouse live in the home with their two children. The member is eligible for 50% of the HPAS payment.

7.3.15 When a member must repay HPAS

  1. A member must repay the HPAS payment they received if any of the following occurs.

    1. An eligible person does not occupy the home within the specified time under section 7.3.13. 
    2. The purchase of the home does not go ahead for any reason.

    Note:   A member can reapply for HPAS in the future once the repayment is made.

  2. Despite subsection 1, the following apply.

    1. If Service reasons prevent an eligible person from occupying the home within the specified time, the member does not have to repay the amount.
    2. If Service reasons prevent the purchase from going ahead, the CDF may decide that the member should be reimbursed their reasonable and unavoidable costs.

     

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